


But Home Is Love

by allonsy_gabriel



Series: Dreams To Be Daring For [2]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Banter, Day At The Beach, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Hijinks & Shenanigans, It's just cute, Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Parent-Child Relationship, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, hoo boy, it's cute guys, just an overall good time with The Boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-30 01:39:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19032115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allonsy_gabriel/pseuds/allonsy_gabriel
Summary: Shane looked around the living room. Sure enough, two pairs of sneakers and a pair of boots were on on the shoe rack, both too small to fit Shane's own sasquatch-sized feet. Ryan’s laptop charger was plugged into the wall and had been for a while. Ryan was in ninety percent of the photos on the wall (some of the photos were just Ryan and Nora). Ryan’s mug was in the sink, Ryan’s body wash was in the shower, Ryan’s weights were in the corner, Ryan’s backup glasses were on the bedside table, Ryan’s In-and-Out leftovers were in the fridge, Ryan’s clothes were in the closet and the dresser, Ryan was--Ryan was everywhere.(Or, How Ryan Becomes More Than Just The Cool Uncle)





	But Home Is Love

**Author's Note:**

> heyo what's happening
> 
> this little buddy is sort of just a place holder because i HAD to get all of this out of my brain before i wrote the next Big Thing in this series. i hope y'all like it, it's 100% Cute Shit and 0% Plot

Shane didn’t know what brought it on, really. There wasn’t some big occasion or moment of total enlightenment. In fact, the moment he asked the question was one of the most mundane he could remember.

He and Ryan were sitting on the couch, Eleanora on the floor while  _ The Princess and the Frog _ played on the TV, when out of nowhere, Shane found himself blurting out, “Move in with us.”

“What?” Ryan asked, turning in his seat so fast Shane was almost sure he was going to fall out of it.

“You should move in. With us. Me and Eleanora. If you want,” Shane said awkwardly, the words stilted.

_ God _ , this was so fucking stupid. Of course, Ryan wouldn’t want to move in. He didn’t even stay the night all that often, only once a week or so, and there was  _ no way _ he’d want to have to move over all his stuff, or give up his apartment, or--

“Sure, man,” he said. “I mean--I’m sort of already halfway there, anyway.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I didn’t think you noticed.”

“What? Noticed what?” Shane asked.

“Dude. I have a toothbrush over here. And, like, three pairs of shoes. And a shit ton of clothes,” Ryan said.

Shane looked around the living room. Sure enough, two pairs of sneakers and a pair of boots were on on the shoe rack, both too small to fit Shane's own sasquatch-sized feet. Ryan’s laptop charger was plugged into the wall and had been for a while. Ryan was in ninety percent of the photos on the wall (some of the photos were  _ just  _ Ryan and Nora). Ryan’s mug was in the sink, Ryan’s body wash was in the shower, Ryan’s weights were in the corner, Ryan’s backup glasses were on the bedside table, Ryan’s In-and-Out leftovers were in the fridge, Ryan’s clothes were in the closet and the dresser, Ryan was--

Ryan was everywhere.

“Oh,” Shane said. “Yeah, I guess you kind of are.”

Ryan laughed, wheezing as kissed Shane’s temple. “You’re an idiot,” he said fondly.

“Don’t be gross in front of the kid, Ryan.”

“I think she’s used to it.”

“God help her.”

***

“What the  _ fuck  _ do you have in here? Cement blocks?” Shane asked, straining as he placed the brown cardboard box down on the living room floor.

“That’s, uh…” Ryan peered at the box for another moment. “Actually, I don’t know. I didn’t label anything.”

“You didn’t-- _ Ryan _ .”

“I wasn’t, like, thinking--”

“Oh, obviously.”

“I was just trying to get shit packed!”

“So you couldn’t take the extra  _ five seconds  _ to write  _ Extremely Heavy Shit _ on a box?” Shane asked. “That’s not hard, Ryan.”

“I’m sure it’s not even that heavy, you’re just old and feeble--”

“I’m thirty-four, you asshole--”

“Practically a ghost--”

“Well if I’m a ghost then I guess I don’t exist anymore, and if I don’t exist, I guess that means I can’t give you a housewarming blow job tonight, so. How do you like them apples?” Shane retorted, glaring at Ryan.

“Not at all, actually,” TJ said as he entered the apartment, another box in his arms. “I actually wish those apples had stayed on the tree where I wouldn’t ever have to hear them, ever.”

Shane’s face felt hot and he saw Ryan’s eyes go wide.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Shane said, clearing his throat and looking away. “Sorry, man.”

“I hate you both,” TJ said, shaking his head. He left the apartment without another word.

***

**_It’s your turn to do dinner. Please, for the love of God, NOT Chipotle. My bloodstream is 85% additional-charge guacamole._ **

_ your mom is 85% additional charge guacamole _

**_My mother is a lovely woman._ **

_ youre right she is i take it back. no disrespect to sherry madej. _

**_Damn straight._ **

***

“Alright, okay, we’re gonna--we’re gonna take it on over to Gram Town. You good with that, Ry? You good with some Gram Town?”

“I’m  _ always _ good with some Gram Town.”

“Okay then! This question comes from  _ sophiemae2405 _ , it says, ‘ _ has anyone shown nora the hotdaga yet??? because if not im disappointed’ _ ,” Shane read with a mischievous grin.

“Well then, get ready to be disappointed because the answer is  _ no _ ,” Ryan said immediately. “We’re not--we’re not going to ruin her innocence like that. She’s barely even two.”

“You mean  _ you’re  _ not going to ruin her innocence like that,” Shane countered with a wink.

“Dear God, tell me you didn’t.”

“You never know.”

“ _ Shane _ .”

“ _ You never know _ .”

***

“See, this? This is how you beach. None of that, ‘oh, we’re just going to walk and pick up shells’ nonsense--”

“Would you let that go? It was, like, a year and a half ago.”

“Oh, wouldn’t you just like me to. You’d  _ love  _ for me to  _ move on _ \--”

“Yeah, I would, actually. Also, your kid is about to get fucking  _ wasted  _ by the ocean, so--”

“Oh  _ shit _ !” Shane yelled, dropping his towel and running towards the water. “Eleanora! Eleanora Rose Austin-Madej! Get back here!”

Eleanora just laughed as she stood on the edge of the sand, the surf licking at her ankles.

“That was  _ not funny _ , baby girl. I am  _ not laughing _ ,” Shane scolded, scooping her up and doing his best to maintain his Serious Dad Face. “You could’ve--you could’ve floated away! Poof, just like that, and then me and Uncle Ryan would be so sad.”

“I’s fun!” Eleanora said, smiling up at him.

“Not without floaties and a grown-up, it isn’t,” Shane countered, carefully putting her back down under the umbrella Ryan was setting up. “Stay here, okay? Dad and Uncle Ryan will be ready to play in a minute.”

“Play splash!”

“Yup. We’ll play splash all day, just hold on,” Shane agreed, glancing over at Ryan, who looked absolutely smitten.

Shane was aware that he looked just as sappy, but he decided not to think about it.

“C’mere, sweetheart, let’s get put on a bit more sunscreen on,” Ryan said, ducking down to dig through the beach bag

“But splash!” Eleanora insisted, stomping in the sand.

“First sunscreen, then splash,” Ryan said patiently. Eleanora huffed but toddled over and stood with her arms crossed over her chest.

Shane could help but snicker. “Someone’s got an attitude,” he said.

“Yeah, and she gets it from her dad,” Ryan retorted as he smeared the sunscreen stick all over her face.

“I’ll have you know I was a  _ delight  _ as a child,” Shane countered, unfolding the chairs. Two were full-sized had a tropical print, while one was very, very small and had Moana on it. “If anything, she gets her sass from you.”

“Let’s hope not. I was a holy terror.”

“I’ve heard the stories,” Shane agreed, rolling his eyes. “Hopefully, our daughter doesn’t decide to take a Ninja Turtle sword to school so she can whack all the other children.”

Ryan froze.

“What? Was it not a Ninja Turtles sword? Was it He-Man? Thunder Cats? Sailor Moon?”

“You called Nora our daughter,” Ryan said slowly.

“Yeah?”

“Shane.  _ Ours _ .”

“Oh. Uh, yeah. I mean, isn’t she, though?” Shane asked. “Like. You live with us, man. You took the last potty shift before we left the house. You cut up her French toast this morning. She’s your kid, too.”

“Okay,” Ryan whispered, and Shane looked over to see him rubbing at his eyes with his shoulder as he rubbed Eleanora down with sunblock.

“Oh  _ Ryan _ ,” he said, rolling his eyes and leaning over to kiss his forehead. “You freaking sap.”

“Shut up, Shane.”

“Yeah! Shut up, Shane!” Eleanora parroted dutifully.

“Hey, woah!” Ryan said quickly. “What’s the rule about telling a grown-up to shut up?”

“Don’t.”

“ _ Exactly _ ,” Ryan said seriously. “So what do we say to Dad?”

“Sorry, Dad,” Eleanora said glumly.

“I forgive you,” Shane said, kissing her cheek. “How about we get your floaties on, and then we can go play splash, hm?”

“Splash!” Eleanora squealed. “And--and then, fishes? Please?”

“We’ll see if we can find any fish,” Ryan promised.

Shane grinned as he buckled Eleanora into her puddle jumper. “Okay! We’re ready to go!” he said, and Eleanora  _ immediately _ ran straight for the ocean.

“That kid…” Shane said, shaking his head. “It’ll be a miracle if I have any hair left by the time she graduates.”

“Sucks to be you, I guess,” Ryan said, winking at Shane before chasing their daughter out into the surf.

Shane was just behind them.

***

“Okay, so, you have our numbers?” Ryan asked, wringing his hands together.

“Dude...”

“And you know you can call us no matter what, any time, right?”

“ _ Yes _ , obviously, I’ve been watching Nora for, like, a year now.”

“Well  _ sorry _ for being a  _ responsible parent _ ,” Ryan said, throwing a dish towel at his brother, who ducked.

“A responsible parent with terrible aim.”

“Stop bullying my boyfriend,” Shane said as he rounded the corner, tightening his tie.

“I’m his brother,” Jake countered. “It’s my job.”

“Yes, well, you’re fired. Pack--pack up your things, I expect your gun and badge on my desk by the end of the day,” Shane said.

“So am I… not… watching Nora?”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Ignore him, he’s a dumbass.  _ Yes _ , you’re watching Nora,” he said. “Now, Shane won’t tell me where we’re going--”

“It’s a  _ surprise _ !”

“--but I’m sure it’ll be in town, right?”

“Yup.”

“So if you call, we’ll be able to get back quickly. If there’s an emergency, call 911 first--”

“ _ Ryan _ ,” Jake insisted. “Bro. Chill. We’ll probably watch  _ Lilo and Stitch  _ and then I’ll make mac and cheese with hotdogs and put her to bed. It’ll be fine. Stop, like, freaking out.”

Ryan sighed. “Okay, whatever, we’re leaving. Just--be careful, okay?”

“Okay. Now, go. Leave. Be gross with your boyfriend,” Jake said. “Shoo.”

“You can’t--you can’t  _ shoo _ me from my own home!”

“Ryan,” Shane said, placing a hand on his boyfriend’s arm. “Let’s go, okay? I’m sure everything will be alright.”

“Alright,” Ryan conceded, rubbing his hands together. “Nora! Nora, sweetie, would you come here? Your dad and I are leaving!”

A minute later, Eleanora came racing down the hall, clutching CiCi to her chest. “Uncle Jake!” she said, hopping up and down. “Come play!”

“You and Uncle Jake will have time to play after your, uh, your Ryan and I leave,” Shane said, kneeling down next to his daughter. 

“You go?” Eleanora asked, her little eyebrows furrowing together.

“Yeah, kiddo. We’re going,” Shane said. “But we’ll be back when you wake up in the morning.”

“But stay!” Eleanora argued, and then a moment later, “Please?”

“I’m sorry, baby girl,” Shane said. “We’ve got--we’ve got grown-up stuff to do tonight.”

“ _ Yuck _ ,” Eleanora muttered before sighing and leaning into Shane’s arms. “Love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Shane replied, kissing the top of her head.

Ryan squatted down next, wrapping his arms around both of them. “We’ll see you in the morning, okay?” he whispered.

“M’kay,” Eleanora agreed, placing a tiny kiss on each of their cheeks. “Be--be good. Safe.”

Shane laughed a little and grinned at Ryan, who had the cheesiest fucking smile on his face. “We will,” Ryan said before standing up. Shane followed suit with a soft  _ oof _ .

“Take care of my kid, Jake,” Ryan said as they headed out the door, pointing at his little brother. “Don’t let her stay up super late or eat crap all night or whatever. And  _ don’t _ watch anything weird until she’s asleep!”

“Just  _ go _ , would you? Jesus Christ,” Jake yelled back, and Shane grinned as he ushered Ryan out the door.

 

“So,” Ryan said as they sat in the car. “What was with the--the whole  _ your Ryan _ thing? Have I been downgraded? Demoted?”

“Oh, uh, nope,” Shane said, staring straight ahead at the road. “I was actually--I was actually going to talk to you about that later.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Shane said. “I was thinking… we’ve already agreed that she’s, like, your kid. Our kid. We--we share the kid.”

“Yeah…”

“And she knows we’re, like, together.”

“Yes--Shane, what does this--”

“Isn’t it a little weird that you’re her parent, and you’re dating her dad, and she calls you  _ Uncle Ryan _ ? Like, that’s sort of… strange,” Shane insisted. 

He didn’t look over at Ryan, but he did hear him clear his throat. “Yeah, uh, yeah. That… could be weird,” he said.

“So I was just, y’know, thinking--”

“Using that big ol’ noggin of yours?”

“Well, I mean, I have to  _ some _ times. And I was thinking, what if… what if she  _ didn’t _ call you Uncle Ryan? What if she called you… something else?” Shane asked. His mouth suddenly felt very dry.

“Like…”

“I dunno. Papa? Pops? Like, it’s up to you, I’d just prefer that you didn’t use, like,  _ Dad _ because that’s, uh, me,” Shane said. He hated how anxious he sounded, how all the words came out a little too high and a little too stilted.

“Oh,” Ryan said, sounding like the floor had just been taken out from under him. “Those-- those kinds of things.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” Ryan said. “Can I, uh, can I think about it? For a bit? Not because--not because I don’t  _ want  _ her to call me something--something like that, but just because I don’t know what it would  _ be _ . I don’t… maybe Papa, but I still think that sounds kinda… weird. Like we’re from  _ The Little House on the Prairie _ or some shit.”

“Yeah, man,” Shane agreed. “Take, uh, take all the time you want. God knows--God knows I took a while.”

Ryan laughed. “I was almost sure she was just going to call you  _ Shane _ ,” he said. “Seriously, I thought--I was concerned.”

“Can you imagine, though?” Shane asked. “This small--this tiny little human person, walking around with me, a very tall man who does  _ not  _ look like her, and she’s like, ‘Oh, him? Yeah, that’s  _ Shane _ .’ I’d get arrested, like,  _ immediately _ .”

“Oh God,” Ryan wheezed. “Yeah, yeah, that’d be--shit.”

Shane grinned as he rested his hand on the center console.

Ryan took it a moment later, the movement natural and easy.

Shane brought their joined hands up and kissed the back of Ryan’s, his eyes never leaving the road.

“You’re a fucking sap, Jesus Christ,” Ryan muttered, but Shane could hear the fondness in his voice.

“You know you love it.”

“Unfortunately, yeah.”

***

Shane thought it’d be cute, and thoughtful, and a  _ maybe _ a little funny. He thought Ryan would find it endearing, and that he would smile and roll his eyes and then they’d enjoy a lovely picnic Shane had bribed the Tasty team into making him while sitting in the middle of an old, supposedly haunted zoo.

“Oh my God, I hate you,” Ryan snapped as they sat at the old concrete picnic table, his eyes wide with fear.

“Ryan, thousands of people come here every day, and  _ they _ don’t report seeing any--any  _ activity _ ,” Shane pointed out. “It’ll be fine.”

“Dude, this is one of the most haunted places in LA!” Ryan insisted.

“I know, that’s why it’s--that’s why it’s funny, Ryan.”

“I can’t believe you’re taking me on a date to a haunted zoo.”

“Ryan, if any ghouls appear, I promise I’ll protect you,” Shane said, laying out the Tupperware of little sandwiches.

Ryan scoffed. “Sure. Shane ‘Rip My Heart Out’ Madej is going to protect me from the ghosts--”

“Okay, alright, here--I’m calling a truce for tonight, okay?” Shane asked, grabbing Ryan by the shoulders and pulling him close so that his back was up against Shane’s chest. “Just for tonight, I’ll play nice with the ghosts.”

“Shane, you can’t--you can’t just  _ take a time-out _ \--”

“Hey ghouls! Listen up!” Shane shouted. “We don’t want any trouble tonight, alright? The Ghoul Boys--the Ghoul Boys are closed for business! I respect your… ghostly authority, and in exchange I ask that you don’t, y’know, tear out our spines and use them to shake our heads around like maracas. Thank you!”

Shane felt Ryan laughing against his chest, and he grinned as he pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s temple.

“There,” he whispered. “We’re safe now.”

“You’re such a fucking dork.”

“Yes, but have you considered the fact that maybe that’s part of the charm?”

Shane could practically  _ hear  _ Ryan’s eye roll. “Okay,” he finally said, turning and stretching up so he could press a quick kiss to Shane’s lips. “I saw you unpack some fucking  _ bomb _ looking sliders, so--”

“Of course, it’s all about the food with you, isn’t it?”

“I’m a growing boy--”

“You’re a growing pain in my ass, is what you are,” Shane retorted. He quickly worked to remove a few of the sandwiches from the container and handed them to Ryan. “They’re, uh, ham chutney and shallots on a brioche bun, whatever that means.”

“It means it’s gonna be fucking delicious, man,” Ryan said, sliding into the picnic bench across from Shane.

It was just barely getting dark, the sunset visible beyond the old faux-rock cages of the Griffith Park Old Zoo.

“This is… this is actually pretty nice,” Ryan said, looking up at the sky.

Shane wasn’t really one for sappy feelings or romantic inclinations, but he could’ve sworn that, at that moment, Ryan’s eyes held the stars.

“See? I told you. No ghosties here tonight,” Shane said. “Just you and me.”

Ryan smiled, his face glowing from the light of the eucalyptus-scented candle Shane had taken from their bathroom.

It was a little bit perfect, in Shane's opinion.

"So, uh, we didn't just come out here to eat fancy sandwiches and not hunt ghouls," he said, clearing his throat.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I actually…" Shane trailed off, huffing a laugh. "This is really weird to, like, do, y'know? Like, you see all the sappy Facebook videos, and it's all magical and heartfelt and shit, but they don't--they don't ever show you the poor schmuck sweating through his suit."

"What the fuck are you talking abou--"

Shane shook his head and exhaled, ignoring Ryan's words as he slipped off the concrete bench and down on one knee.

"Ryan Steven Bergara," he said, his voice only shaking a little bit, "We've been Test Friends, Ghoul Boys, Boot Brothers, Berry Boys, treasure hunters, amateur detectives, partners in crime, parents, best friends… we're a package deal, you and me, and I was actually kind of hoping we could be something else."

"Yeah?" Ryan asked, the word catching in his throat.

"Yeah," Shane agreed, laughing a little under his breath. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the blue velvet box.

The world seemed weirdly blurry, and it was then that Shane realized he was crying.

"Fuck it," he muttered. "Ryan Steven Bergara, would you do me the absolute  _ honor _ of--"

"Yes, you gigantic idiot,  _ yes, _ " Ryan insisted, yanking Shane to his feet and pulling him in for a kiss.

"Wait, you--" Shane tried to say, "You didn't even let me finish! I could--I could be asking you to reprise your role as  _ Dr. Goondis  _ beloved and critically acclaimed series--"

"Yeah, but are you?" Ryan asked, smiling up at Shane.

"...no."

"Okay then."

"You still didn't let me finish," Shane insisted.

Ryan sighed and rolled his eyes, still holding onto the lapels of Shane's jacket. "Okay, alright, what were you going to say?"

"I was  _ going  _ to ask you if you'd do me the absolute honor of being my husband," Shane stated. "I was also going to give you this really fucking baller ring."

"Oh. Well, my answer still stands."

Shane laughed aloud, almost picking Ryan up as he tugged him into another kiss.

"And I'd like that ring, if you don't mind," Ryan added a minute later, breathless and beaming.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, okay," Shane said, carefully removing the golden band from its box and slipping it onto Ryan's finger. "There we go, then."

"There we go, then," Ryan agreed. 

Shane slipped Ryan’s fingers through his own as they kissed again under the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> it's sorta filler-y but it's cute filler-y so! tell me what you thought! yell it into the sea and wait for me to appear! toss it down a well and see me in the stars! find me on tumblr @allonsy-gabriel! life is full of endless possibilities!


End file.
